A new BMW interface for controlling the iPhone and iPod Touch is coming! BMW will soon be utilizing the new iPod-OUT feature of Apple's new operating system (iOS4) for these devices. Future BMW owners will be able to use the infotainment system to display and control iPhone/iPod Touch music playback features in the vehicle's main display.

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iPod Out enables BMW and MINI infotainment systems to display and control the music playback feature in iPhone and iPod touch in the vehicle’s main display. The on-board monitor in BMW and MINI provides users with the simplicity and familiarity they have come to trust in their iPhone and iPod touch and the intuitive and integrated iPod navigation menu can be safely operated through the vehicle’s interface controls. Additionally, state-of-the-art iPod features such as custom playlists and Genius, which instantly creates a playlist of songs that go well together from a user’s own library, is immediately made available to BMW and MINI drivers through the vehicle’s main display. iPod Out requires iOS 4 with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod touch (second and third generation).

The new interface technology developed for this purpose by the BMW Group enables continued availability of iPod Out features of iPhone and iPod touch in vehicles and represents a new milestone in consumer electronic device vehicle integration. Future vehicles equipped with this technology will be able to adapt more quickly to the software lifecycles of iPod touch and iPhone. The new interface technology was developed by an international cooperation of the BMW Research and Development Centre in Munich, Germany and the BMW Group Technology Office Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, California.

Once again the BMW Group takes a leading role in the Infotainment integration of iPhone and iPod touch. In 2004, BMW was the first automobile manufacturer in the world to integrate iPod in the audio system. In the following year a corresponding solution was presented for MINI. Right on time for the market launch of iPhone in 2007, the BMW Group once again offered an exclusive technological solution for integrating iPhone in the infotainment system of its vehicles.

The new BMW Group iPod Out support mirrors the innovation strategy of BMW ConnectedDrive for the BMW brand and will be part of the new offer called MINI Connected for the MINI brand. Both brands aim at connecting driver and passengers to their personal infotainment world in an intuitive and non-distracting way while on board. The optimized use of consumer mobile devices in an on-board environment play a central role in this connection.

I hate to see BMW working together with Apple. There are a bunch of better phones & mp3 players than Apple's, for example Android phones from HTC are much better than iPhone 4.

By and large that is not the consensus I have read in any market....iPhone is largely regarded as the high water mark of mobile devices at the current time.

The reason BMW is working with Apple, and not Google/Android is totally understandable - Android is Dependant upon the hardware, skin - and open to much interpretation, possibly being harder to integrate. Furthermore, even Android owners have iPods for the most part...who wants to plug in two devices?

And this has nothing to do with the fact that most Android devices tend to look like a childs first toy....versus the iPhone's avante garde design.

Customers in the US get a pass for getting android because AT&T sucks so badly, and the android devices are the next best thing you can get if you want a carrier that actually works (Verizon)

By and large that is not the consensus I have read in any market....iPhone is largely regarded as the high water mark of mobile devices at the current time.

The reason BMW is working with Apple, and not Google/Android is totally understandable - Android is Dependant upon the hardware, skin - and open to much interpretation, possibly being harder to integrate. Furthermore, even Android owners have iPods for the most part...who wants to plug in two devices?

And this has nothing to do with the fact that most Android devices tend to look like a childs first toy....versus the iPhone's avante garde design.

Customers in the US get a pass for getting android because AT&T sucks so badly, and the android devices are the next best thing you can get if you want a carrier that actually works (Verizon)

Agreed. AT&T sucks more & more everyday. Now I heard something that they are going to limit the data use on the Iphones or eliminate the unlimited data plans?? Anyone heard anything about this.

On another note, my Idrive works wonderfully with my Iphone except for the fact that I can't store mp3's from my Iphone in to the hard drive on my car. Hope they fix this problem.

finally!!!
Looking good..
Better not overcharge us for it.. No more $300 for ipod intergration that Kia's have as standard feature these days.
Still got ways to go to catch up to Ford My Touch/Sync system...

Agreed. AT&T sucks more & more everyday. Now I heard something that they are going to limit the data use on the Iphones or eliminate the unlimited data plans?? Anyone heard anything about this.

On another note, my Idrive works wonderfully with my Iphone except for the fact that I can't store mp3's from my Iphone in to the hard drive on my car. Hope they fix this problem.

Yeah I heard that too. Sucks, first time I'm kinda glad I don't have AT&T and just have the touch. Plus all the mess with the iPhone 4, how holding it in certain ways will drop a call. That's retarded. I think Apple needs to talk to Sprint. They could probably get a better deal with them because Sprint could use it to catch up to Verizon.

what the hell, i already have a 2011 i should already have that feature. theyre just holding out to make more money. I hope it will be easy to upgrade this new feature on existing idrives.

If it's possible to retrofit, you will probably be one of the few. Seems like they made a slight change to the hardware since initially putting out the updated iDrive in 2009 MY and I bet those cars are out. It's anyone's guess as to MY 2010....